Division of Medicine

 

Clinical Education Centre

Bld 63, Level 4

Missenden Road, Camperdown

 

 

 

 

 

FRACP

 

EXAMINATION REVISION

 

Paper A

 

 

9th February 2002

 

MOCK EXAMINATION

 

Held in the Library

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRACP EXAMINATION  QUESTIONS

 

 

Q1.      Which of the following is TRUE regarding Gout :

a)            90% present with IST MTP involvement

b)            Acute Gout results from the interaction of urate crystals and lymphocytes

c)            Allopurinol is useful for initial treatment of acute gout

d)            Gout attacks are usually polyarticular

e)            Urate crystals activate both classic and alternate pathways

 

Q2.      In regards to venous thrombosis during pregnancy, which of the following is false :

a)                  Women who experience a DVT during pregnancy are an increased risk of future thromboembolism

 

b)                 Pregnancy is associated with increase in von Willebrand factor, factor VIII, fact V and fibrinogen together with an acquired resistance to protein C and reduced concentration of protein S.

 

c)                  Most cases of venous thrombosis in pregnancy are calf vein thromboses

d)                 Pregnancy is associated with a decreased level of homocysteine

e)                  Warfarin is safe to use during lactation

 

Q3.            Regarding the antiphospholipid syndrome, which of  the following is false:

a)                  Thrombocytopenia is an occasional feature of the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome

b)                 Antiphospholipid antibodies can occur in a variety of infections including HIV, CMV and hepatitis C

 

c)                  Both lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies are positive in >80% of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome

 

d)                 The titire of IgG anti-cardiolipin is a prognostic marker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q4.      Which one of the following is false;

It is true of Creutzfeldt-Jakob prion disease that;

a)                  The pathological change involves the prion protein switching from an beta-pleated

sheet to an alpha-helical structure

b)                 Diagnosis is suggested by the typical clinical course of  inexorable progression, with the dissolution of cognitive abilities and the development of myoclonic jerking, particularly startle myoclonus and eventually the subsiding of the jerks

 

c)                  Magnetic resonance imaging may show hyperintense signals in the basal ganglion on T(2) weighted images

 

d)                 Amyloid plaques are common in kuru and new-variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease but not in classical Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

 

e)                  The familial variant is autosomal dominant, associated with coding abnormalities on the PrP gene, has an earlier age of onset, longer time till death than the sporadic disease and has distinct diagnostic findings

 

Q5.      Which one of the following is false;

                        It is true of melantonin that,

a)                  The daily rhythm of melatonin secretion is controlled by an endogenous, free-running pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus

 

b)                 The activation of (alpha)(1) and (beta)(1)-adrenergic receptors in the pineal gland raises cyclic AMP and calcium concentrations and activates arylalkylamin N-acetyltransferase, initiating the synthesis and release of melatonin

 

c)                  In humans, melatonin secretion increases soon after the onset of darkness, peaks in the middle of the night (between 2 and 4 am) and gradually falls during the second half of the night

 

d)                 Increasing serum melatonin concentrations (to normal night time values or pharmacologic values) can trigger the onset of sleep, regardless of the prevailing endogenous circadian rhythm

 

e)                  Men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism have decreased serum melatonin concentrations, which increase in response to treatment with testosterone

 

Q6.      With regard to Charcot-marie-tooth disease, which one of the following is false;

 

a)                  Cramps are a frequent complaint and are worse after long walks

b)                 The plantar reflex is frequently flexor or absent

c)                  Vibratory sense is the most frequently affected modality

d)                 Phenotype is closely related to genotype

e)                  CMT type 1 (CMT1) is a demyelinating neuropathy with moderate to severely decreased motor nerve conduction velocity (where the clinical features appear to be due to fiber loss and denervation), while type 2 (CMT2), the neuronal form, shows normal or only mildly reduced nerve conduction velocity

Q7.      With regard to lobar intracerebral hemmorhage, which one is false:

a)                  it is associated with hypertension

b)                 the main pathological feature is infiltration of the cortical vessels by amyloid beta-protein

c)                  Often associated with andecedant memory loss

d)                 Apo E4 and E2 are predictors of recurrent hemmorhage

e)                  Familial syndromes are associated with mutations in the gene for amyloid precursor protein and cystatin C

 

 

Q8.      With regard to acute normovolaemic haemodilution (where whole blood is removed from the patient immediately before surgery and simultaneously replaced by crystalloid or colloid and then intra or immediately post-operatively infused back into the patient) which of the following are false:

           

a)                  It should be considered when the potential surgical blood loss is likely to exceed 20% of the blood volume.

 

b)                 It is contra-indicated in patients with an Hb below 100 preoperatively and those who have severe myocardial disease

 

c)                  Because the units never leave the room they do not require testing and are thus considerably cheaper than autologous blood transfusion

 

d)                 Because they are not refrigerated there is a higher risk of bacterial contamination than in autologous or allogeneic blood transfusion

 

e)                  The process decreases the need for post-operative allogeneic blood transfusion when compared with usual practice.

 

 

Q9.      A 50 yr old man presents with fatigue, weight loss and left lower flank pain of several month’s duration.  On examination the only abnormality is an enlarged spleen abutting his left iliac crest.  After further investigation he is found to have CML with <10% blast cells in the bone marrow and the philadelphia chromosome.  Unfortunately he does not have any siblings.

The best treatment for him is:

 

a)                  Long term interferon alpha

b)                 Hydroxyurea

c)                  Matched unrelated bone marrow transplantation within a year of diagnosis

d)                 MUD transplantation once he enters the accelerated phase of the disease

e)                  Infusion of donor lymphocytes

 

 

 

 

 

Q10.    With regard to the philadelphia chromosome, which of the following is incorrect?

a)                  In the majority of patients it is a translocation involving chromosomes 9 and 22

b)                 It produces a fusion protein BCR/ABL which is an intracellularly active tyrosine kinase

c)                  It is found in approximately 25% of adult acute B cell lymphoblastic leukaemias

d)                 Fusion proteins of different sizes correlate with different clinical outcomes

e)                  It is only found in cells from the myeloid lineage

 

Q11.            Regarding spherocytosis all except one is true:

a)                  In 50%, the defect is in ankyrin

b)                 In 25%, the defect is a Protein 3 mutation

c)                  In 25% spectein deficiency is associated with a mild dominate form of spherocytosis

 

Q12.                  Regarding PNH which one is false:

a)         DAF (decay-accelerating factor) normally disrupts the enzyme complexes from either the classical/alternative pathway that activate C3 and C5

 

b)                 CD59 inhibits the conversion of C9 by the MAC to a polynesic complex capable of penetrating the membrane

 

c)                  The lack of DAF & CD59 make the cells more sensitive to the lytic effect of complement

 

d)                 The platelets lack the above proteins and hence their life span is shortened

 

e)                  The activation of complement indirectly stimulates platelet aggregation and hypercoagulability

 

 

Q13.    The most sensitive and specific test for the diagnosis of PHN:

a)                  Hams’s test

b)                 Sucrose lysis test

c)                  Flow cytometry

d)                 Direct Coomb’s test

e)                  Hemoglobinuria

 

 

 

 

 

Q14.            Regarding TTP, which one of the following is false:

a)                  The thrombocytopenia generally parallels  the anemia

b)                 A positive ANA can be obtained in 20% patients

c)                  Neurologic symptoms develop in more than 90% of patients whose disease terminates in death.

d)                 Positive direct Coomb’s test

e)                  Renal manifestations are usually seen when the platelet count is very significantly reduced

 

Q15.    Warm – antibody immune hemolytic anemia can be seen in the following except:

a)                  CLL

b)                 SLE

c)                  a - methyldopa

d)                 Penicillin, Quindine

e)                  Infectious mononucleosis

 

Q16.    All of the following complement components are required in the alternative pathway EXCEPT:

           

a)                  C1, C2, C4

b)                 C5, C6, C7

c)                  C3

d)                 C8, C9

e)                  Properdin

 

Q17.    In Alzheimers disease, which of the following is false:

a)                  Neurofibrillary tangles represent abnormal phosphorylated tau protein

b)                 Mutations in PS-1 tend to produce AD with an earlier age of onset

c)                  Mutations in PS-2 tend to produce a shorter, more rapidly progressive course than mutations in PS-1

 

d)                 PET studies indicate the earliest metabolic changes occur in parietal cortex

e)                  Mutations in chromosome –1 4 gene are the most common cause of early onset familial AD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q18.    Which neurological disease is not associated with an increased number of unstable CAG repeats:

 

a)                  Huntingtons disease

b)                 Friedreich’s ataxia

c)                  spinocorebellar ataxia

d)                 dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy

e)                  spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy

 

Q19.    The pathological hallmark of Parkinsons disease :

            a)            Lewy bodies in substantia nigra

b)                 neurofibrillary tangles

c)                  silver staining cytoplasmic inclusions

d)                 loss of cells in substantia nigra

e)                  Decrease GABA in basal ganglion

 

Q20.            Regarding the elderly and depression which one of the following is false:

a)                  Pts receiving antidepressants to contol behavioural symptoms of dementia had more falls than those receiving the drug for drepression

 

b)                 need to continue antidepressant Rx for at least 26 weeks after remission of symptoms or the risk of relapse is high

 

c)                  Pts receiving TCA have a higher rate of falling compared with those not using antidepressants.

 

d)                 SSRIs generally do not cause postural hypotension

 

e)                  SSRIs are not associated with a higher rate of falls

 

 

Q21.    With regard to haemochromatosis, which of the following statements is incorrect?

a)                  The frequency to haemochromatosis gene in Caucasian populations is 5-15%

b)                 The arthropathy of haemochromatosis usually improves with venesection

c)                  The risk of hepatoma in patients with established cirrhosis secondary to haemochromatosis is not altered by venesection

d)                 The screening test family members is serum transferrin saturation

 

 

 

Q22.            Regarding patients with Gilbert’s syndrome, which of the following statements is/are correct?

a)                  They have a benign conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia

b)                 Patients may have pruritus during episodes of jaundice

c)                  They may have an enlarged spleen

d)                 The prothrombin time may be prolonged

e)                  Patients show increasing hyperbilirubinaemia during a prolonged fast

 

 

Q23.    With respect to myeloma, which of the following statements is correct?

a)                  The paraprotein is IgG in about 50% patients

b)                 A monoclonal peak is detected on serum protein electrophoresis in all patients

c)                  Monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance evolves into myeloma in the majority of cases within 5 year

 

d)                 An IgM paraprotein is rare

 

e)                  At presentation, 25% of patients have symptoms of hyperviscosity

 

 

 

Q24.    The “exo-erythrocityc” or hypnozoite phase of Plasmodium vivax infection in the liver, which is responsible for relapse, is affected by which of the following?

 

a)                  Chloroquine

b)                 Quinine

c)                  Proguanil

d)                 Primaquine

e)                  Fansidar  (pyrimethamine plus sulfadoxine)

 

 

Q25.    A patient has been diagnosed as having Parkinson’s desease.  Which of his following complaints is/are unlikely to be explained by this disease?

 

a)                  Constipation

b)                 Neurogenic bladder

c)                  Loss of convergence of the ocular muscles

d)                 Impairment of vertical gaze

e)                  Profuse sweating

 

 

Q26.    Which of the following statements about acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneurpathy (Guillain-Barre syndrome, GBS) is incorrect?

 

a)                  Back and leg pain is a common early symptom

b)                 It may be the first manifestation of infection with the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV).

c)                  Nerve conduction studies provide useful prognostic information

d)                 Steriods are beneficial in severe acute disease

e)                  Plasmapheresis is beneficial in severe acute disease

 

 

Q27.    Which of the following drugs, if taken by a nursing mother, would be a contra-indication to breast feeding?

 

a)                  Digoxin

b)                 Warfarin

c)                  Prednisolone

d)                 Lithium

 

 

Q28.    With regard to osteoporosis which of the following are correct?

a)                  The risk of a 50 yr old woman sustaining a hip fracture during the remainder of her life is approximately 40%

 

b)                 The reduction in BMD of 1 SD is associated with a 1.5-3x increased risk of fragility fracture

 

c)                  Osteopenia is defined as a BMD between 1-25 SD below young adult mean

d)                 Increasing femoral length is directly associated with risk of hip fracture independent of bone mass in the hip

 

e)                  Alcohol and smoking are risk factors for low bone mass and fracture in both men and women

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q29.    With regard to HRT which are correct ?

a)                  RCT show ~50% reduction in CVS mortality in women who are current users of HRT

b)                 Combined continuous HRT induces a more favourable effect on lipid status of postmenopausal women than sequential HRT regimens

 

c)                  Approx 50% of the beneficial effect of HRT on CVS system is mediated via non-lipid effects

 

d)                 RCT indicate a 30% increase in risk of breast cancer among women using HRT for more than 5 yrs after menopause

 

e)                  Estrogen only HRT is favoured for women who have not undergone endometrial resection

 

 

Q30.            Following are Physiological changes during pregnancy except:

a)                  Increase in cardiac output by 30%

b)                 Retention of potassium

c)                  Increase in urinary calcium

d)                 Decrease in urinary albumin excretory rate

e)                  Filtration faction falls, then rises to normal in late pregnancy

 

 

Q31.    All of the following are true except;

                          ARTHRITIS               X-RAY APPEARANCE

            a)            Psoriatic arthritis-            pencil in cup

            b)            Gout                 -            Erosions with overhanging margins

            c)            CPPD              -            Chondrocalcinosis

            d)            Reactive arthritis -             axial skeleton Ü  symmetric sacroilitis

            e)            SLE                 -            non erosive

 

 

Q32.    Which of the following is associated with a decrease in ESR ;

a)                  Anemia

b)                 High cholesterol

c)                  Female

d)                 Age

e)                  C.C.F.

           

 

 

Q33.    Which of the following gastric mucosal cells is best described by the following?

                        Stimulated by gastrin

                        Stimulates acid secretion

                        Contains histamine

                        Pancrine function

                        Stains with silver

 

a)                  Paneth cell

b)                 Enterchromaffin-like (ECL) cell

c)                  Somatostatin (D) cell

d)                 Gastin (G) cell

e)                  Mast cell

 

 

Q34.    Which of the following gastric cell types is the predominant source of histamine in response to gastrin stimulation?

 

a)                  Paneth cells

b)                 Chief cells

c)                  Enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells

d)                 Mast cells

e)                  Parietal cells

 

 

Q35.    A man aged 58 years on digoxin 0.25 mg daily for many years had a creatinine level of 0.08 nmol/l and a serum digoxin concentration of 2.0 nmol/l .  He developed a persistent supraventricular arrhythmia and was put on an additional antiarrhythmic drug.  Four days later he complained of vomiting and diarrhoea.  His serum digoxin concentration was 4.3 mmol/l and his creatinine unchanged.

 

Which one of the following drugs could not have been the antiarrhythmic?

 

a)      Quinidine

b)      Disopyramide

c)      Verapamil

d)      Amiodarone

e)      Flecainide

 

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